CHECKLIST TEMPLATE
A 10-minute structured damage assessment for ski rentals that come back broken. Gives you a defensible charge decision and a repair plan in one conversation.
Damaged returns are the single most emotionally-charged conversation in a rental shop. The customer wants to minimise what they pay; the shop wants to recover the repair cost. Without a structured process, the conversation becomes a negotiation and the outcome depends on who is more persuasive. With a structured damage and refund assessment, the conversation becomes a fact-finding — what happened, what it will cost to fix, what the customer's rental agreement says — and the decision falls out of the facts rather than the argument.
This checklist takes 10 minutes per damaged return and produces three outputs: a documented damage description (photos, classification, repair path), a charge calculation (fixed repair cost from your tune-room rate card), and a customer conversation script that references the rental agreement. It works for all damage types: base, edge, binding, boot, pole, and accessory.
The checklist does not make the charge decision — you do, based on your shop's policy. But it ensures every charge is documented, consistent, and defensible if the customer disputes the charge or contacts their credit-card company.
Run the checklist at the counter when damaged gear is returned. Do not skip the photos — they are what makes the charge defensible.
Before anything, separate the person from the problem. "Thanks for bringing it back and being upfront about the damage — let me take a look." Sets a collaborative tone.
Multiple angles. Include the damage, the surrounding area, and any serial/asset tag. Photos are your evidence if the charge is disputed later.
Base (core shot, gouge, scratch), edge (rolled, chipped, missing section), topsheet (chip, delamination), binding (strap, baseplate, hardware), boot (shell, liner, buckle), accessory (pole, helmet strap, goggle lens).
Does your rental agreement specify what is covered (normal wear) vs chargeable (damage)? Match the damage type against policy. If policy is ambiguous, note it and flag for policy update.
Every damage type should have a published charge on your rate card (P-tex repair $25, strap replacement $15, etc.). Pull the number from the rate card, not from gut feel.
Whether the customer accepts the charge, pushes back, or refuses, note it. This becomes part of the record if the charge is later disputed. Do not verbally negotiate discounts unless authorised — defer to the manager.
If the customer accepts: apply the charge and provide a receipt. If the customer pushes back on the amount: escalate to a manager, do not negotiate at the counter. If the customer refuses: document the refusal and note a hold on the security deposit per policy.
Based on the damage type, either send to the tune bench with a repair ticket or mark for retirement. Link the repair ticket or retirement record to the customer booking for future reference.
Print the checklist as a laminated counter aid for staff handling returns. Every damaged return runs through it, every time. No exceptions and no shortcuts — the discipline is what makes the process fair and defensible.
EquipDash customers can run the full checklist in the rental management system, attaching photos directly to the booking record and routing repair tickets automatically. That way the customer, the gear, and the cost are all linked in one record.
A structured damage process solves three problems at once:
Run the checklist at the moment of return, with the customer present. Running it after the customer has left makes photo documentation harder and turns a simple conversation into an email thread. Always in real time.
Ten minutes, every damaged return, every time. The output is a defensible charge, a repair ticket, and a customer conversation that did not turn into an argument. Build the rate card and the rental-agreement language before peak season. Train every counter staffer on the checklist. The investment pays itself back the first time a customer disputes a charge and you have the photos.
Run a structured damage assessment at the counter when the gear is returned: photograph the damage from multiple angles, classify the damage type, check it against the rental agreement terms, pull the charge from your published rate card, document the customer conversation, and either process the charge or escalate to a manager if the customer disputes the amount. Never negotiate at the counter — consistency is what makes charges fair. Always generate a repair ticket or retirement record at the same time so the gear actually gets fixed.
EquipDash turns checklist templates into repeatable workflows — assigned to equipment, completed by staff, logged for compliance. Start your free 21-day trial and import this checklist in seconds.
